Part Programming with APT

APT: Automatically Programmed Tooling.

APT is a three-dimensional NC programming
system.
APT is not only a language; it is also the
computer program that processes the APT
statements to calculate the corresponding
cutter positions and generate the machine
tool control commands.

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1. Geometry statements, also called definition

statements, are used to define the geometry
elements that comprise the part.
2. Motion commands are used to specify the tool path.
3. Postprocessor statements control the machine tool
operation, for example, to specify speeds and feeds,
set tolerance values for circular interpolation, and
actuate other capabilities of the machine tool.
4. Auxiliary statements, a group of miscellaneous
statements used to name the part program, insert
comments in the program and accomplish similar
functions.
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The statements are constructed of APT vocabulary

words, symbols, and numbers, all arranged using
appropriate punctuation. APT vocabulary words
consist of six or fewer characters. The characters
are almost always letters of the alphabet. Most APT
statements include a slash (/) as part of the
punctuation. APT vocabulary words that immediately
precede the slash are called major words, whereas
those that follow the slash are called minor words.

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Geometry Statements
SYMBOL = GEOMETRY TYPE/descriptive data
Points
P1 = POINT/20.0,40.0,60.0
P2 = POINT/INTOF,L1,L2
Commas are used to separate the words and numerical
values in the descriptive data.

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Geometry Statements
Lines
A line defined in APT is considered to be infinite length in
both directions. Also, APT treats a line as a vertical
plane that is perpendicular to the x-y plane.
L3 = LINE/P3,P4
L4 = LINE/P5,PARLEL,L3

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Geometry Statements
Circles
In APT, a circle is considered to be a cylindrical surface
that is perpendicular to the x-y plane and extends to
infinity in the z-direction.
C1 = CIRCLE/CENTER,P1,RADIUS,25.0
C2 = CIRCLE/P4,P5,P6

Planes
In APT, a plane extends indefinitely.
PL1 = PLANE/P1,P2,P3
PL2 = PLANE/P2,PARLEL,PL1

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Geometry Statements
Rules for formulating APT geometry statements:
1. Coordinate data must be specified in the order x,
then y, then z.
2. Any symbols used as descriptive data must have
been previously defined.
3. A symbol can be used to define only one geometry
element.
4. Only one symbol can be used to define any
given element.

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Motion Commands
The format of an APT motion command is:
MOTION COMMAND/descriptive data
Example: GOTO/P1
The statement consists of two sections separated by a
slash. The first section is the basic command that
indicates what move the tool should make. The
descriptive data following the slash tell the tool
where to go.

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Motion Commands
At the beginning of the sequence of motion statements, the tool
must be given a starting point. This is likely to be the target
point, the location where the operator has positioned the tool at
the start of the job. The part programmer keys into this starting
position with the following statement:
FROM/PTARG
where FROM is an APT vocabulary word indicating that this is the
initial point from which all others will be referenced; and
PTARG is the symbol assigned to the starting point. Another
way to make this statement is the following:
FROM/-20.0,-20.0,0
The FROM statement occurs only at the start of the motion
sequence.

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Motion Commands
Point-to-point motions (Positioning or straight-line cutting)
There are only two commands: GOTO and GODLTA.
The GOTO statement instructs the tool to go to a particular point location
specified in the descriptive data.
Examples:
GOTO/P2
GOTO/25.0,40.0,0
In the first command, P2 is the destination of the tool point. In the second
command, the tool has been instructed to go to the location whose
coordinates are x=25.0, y=40.0, and z=0.

The GODLTA command specifies an incremental move for the tool. To

illustrate, the following statement instructs the tool to move from its
present position by a distance of 50.0mm in the x-direction, 120.0mm
in the y-direction, and 40.0mm in the z-direction:
GODLTA/50.0,120.0,40.0

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Motion Commands
Point-to-point motions
The GODLTA statement is useful in drilling and related
machining operations. The tool can be directed to go
to a given hole location; then the GODLTA command
can be used to drill the hole, as in the following
sequence:
GOTO/P2
GODLTA/0,0,-50.0
GODLTA/0,0,50.0

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Motion Commands
Contouring Motion Commands
The tool's position must be continuously controlled throughout the
move. The tool is directed along two intersecting surfaces until
it reaches a third surface, as shown in the following Figure.
These three surfaces have specific names in APT; they are:
1. Drive surface. This surface guides the side of the cutter.
2. Part surface. This is the surface on which the bottom or nose of
the tool is guided.
3. Check surface. This is the surface that stops the forward
motion of the tool in the execution of the current command.
One might say that this surface "checks" the advance of the
tool.

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Motion Commands

The surfaces in APT contouring motions that guide the cutting tool

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Motion Commands
There are several ways in which the check surface can
be used. This is determined by using any of four
APT modifier words in the descriptive data of the
motion statement. The four modifier words are TO,
ON, PAST, and TANTO.

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Motion Commands

Use of APT modifier words in motion statements: (a) TO moves the tool into
initial contact with the check surface; (b) ON positions the tool center
on the check surface; (c) PAST moves the tool just beyond the check
surface.

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Motion Commands
The modifier word TANTO is used when the drive surface is tangent
to a circular check surface.

Use of the APT modifier word TANTO. TANTO moves the tool to the point of
tangency between two surfaces, at least one of which is a circular
surface.

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Motion Commands

Use of the APT motion words. The tool has moved from a previous position
to its present position. The direction of the next move is determined by
one of the APT motion words GOLFT, GORGT, GOFWD, GOBACK,
GOUP, or GODOWN.

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Motion Commands
To begin the sequence of motion commands, the FROM statement
is used. The statement following the FROM command defines
the initial drive surface, part surface, and check surface. With
reference to the following figure, the sequence takes the
following form:
FROM/PTARG
GO/TO,PL1,TO,PL2,TO,PL3
The symbol PTARG represents the target point where the operator
has set up the tool. The GO command instructs the tool to
move to the intersection of the drive surface (PL1), the part
surface (PL2), and the check surface (PL3). Because the
modifier word TO has been used for each of the three
surfaces, the circumference of the cutter is tangent to PL1 and
PL3, and the bottom of the cutter is on PL2. The three surfaces
included in the GO statement must be specified in the order:
(1) drive surface, (2) part surface, and (3) check surface.

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Motion Commands

Initialization of APT contouring motion sequence.

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Motion Commands
Note that GO/TO is not the same as the GOTO
command. GOTO is used only for PTP motions. The
GO/ command is used to initialize a sequence of
contouring motions and may take alternatives forms
such as GO/ON,GO/TO, or GO/PAST.

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Motion Commands
After initialization, the tool is directed along its path by one of the six
motion command words. It is not necessary to redefine the part
surface in every motion command after it has been initially
defined as long as it remains the same in subsequent
commands. In the preceding motion command:

GO/TO,PL1,TO,PL2,TO,PL3

the cutter has been directed from PTARG to the intersection of

surfaces PL1, PL2, and PL3. Suppose it is now desired to
move the tool along plane PL3, with PL2 remaining as the part
surface. The following command would accomplish this motion:

GORGT/PL3,PAST,PL4

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Motion Commands
The planes around the part outline can be replaced by
lines, and the APT commands can be replaced by
the following:
FROM/PTARG
GO/TO,L1,TO,PL2,TO,L3
GORGT/L3,PAST,L4

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Postprocessor and Auxiliary Statements
A complete APT part program must include functions not
accomplished by geometry statements and motion
commands. These additional functions are
implemented by postprocessor statements and
auxiliary statements.
Postprocessor statements control the operation of the
machine tool and play a supporting role in
generating the tool path. Such statements are used
to define cutter size, specify speeds and feeds, turn
coolant flow ON and OFF, and control other features
of the particular machine tool on which the
machining job will be performed. The general form of
a postprocessor statement is the following:

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Postprocessor and Auxiliary Statements
POSTPROCCER COMMAND/descriptive data
where the POSTPROCESSOR COMMAND is an APT major word
including the type of function or action to be accomplished, and
the descriptive data consists of APT minor words and
numerical values. In some commands, the descriptive data is
omitted.
Examples:
• UNITS/MM indicates that the specified units in the program are
INCHES or MM.
• INTOL/0.02 specifies inward tolerance for circular interpolation.
• SPINDL/1000,CLW specifies spindle rotation speed in
revolutions per minute. Either CLW (clockwise) or CCLW
(counterclockwise) can be specified.
• DELAY/30 temporarily stops the machine tool for a period
specified in seconds.

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Postprocessor and Auxiliary Statements
Auxiliary statements are used to identify the part program, specify
which postprocessor to use, insert remarks into the program,
and so on. Auxiliary statements have no effect on the
generation of tool path.

Examples:
• PARTNO is the first statement in an APT program, used to
identify the program; for example,
• PARTNO SAMPLE PART NUMBER ONE
• MACHIN/ permits the part programmer to specify the
postprocessor, which in effect specifies the machine tool.
• REMARK is used to insert explanatory comments into the
program that are not interpreted or processed by the APT
processor.
• FINI indicates the end of an APT program.

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 Problem 1 for Part Programming with APT

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Example Part Geometry Using APT

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Example Part Geometry Using APT

P1 = POINT/0,0,0
P2 = POINT/160.0,0,0
P3 = POINT/160.0,60.0,0
P4 = POINT/35.0,90.0,0
P5 = POINT/70.0,30.0,0
P6 = POINT/120.0,30.0,0
P7 = POINT/70.0,60.0,0
P8 = POINT/130.0,60.0,0
L1 = LINE/P1,P2
L2 = LINE/P2,P3
C1 = CIRCLE/CENTER,P8,RADIUS,30.0
L3 = LINE/P4,PARLEL,L1
L4 = LINE/P4,P1

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 PGM
P0 = POINT/0,-1.0,0
P1 = POINT/6.0,1.125,0
P2 = POINT/0,0,0
P3 = POINT/6.0,0,0
P4 = POINT/1.75,4.5,0
C1 = CIRCLE/CENTER, P1, RADIUS, 1.125
L2 = LINE/P4, LEFT, TANTO, C1
L3 = LINE/P2, P4
PL1 = PLANE/P2,P3,P4
L1 = LINE/P2,P3
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Example: Drilling Sequence in APT

Let us write the APT program to perform the drilling sequence for the
sample part in the following figure.

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Example: Drilling Sequence in APT

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Example Two-Axis Profile Milling in APT
The three holes drilled in the previous example will be used for locating and
holding the workpart for milling the outside edges. Axis coordinates
are given in the following figure.

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Example Two-Axis Profile Milling in APT
The top surface of the part is 40 mm above the surface of the
machine table. A 20-mm diameter end mill with four teeth and a
side tooth engagement of 40 mm will be used. The bottom tip
of the cutter will be positioned 25 mm below the top surface
during machining, thus ensuring that the side cutting edges of
the cutter will cut the full thickness of the part. Spindle speed =
1000 rev/min and feed rate = 50 mm/min. The tool path is
given in the second figure.

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Example Two-Axis Profile Milling in APT

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Example Two-Axis Profile Milling in APT

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 Part Programming with APT
Example Two-Axis Profile Milling in APT

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